Just For Tonight
by Losing-facades
Summary: She was his but only for tonight. Short one-shot. Duke/OC


**Just For Tonight**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything recognisable**

**Author's Note: This is my first fanfiction so helpful feedback is welcomed. It is also not been betaed so if you notice any mistakes please do say.**

It's been a long day and he slips into a familiar bar looking for a couple of drinks to blur the day's events. The bar is full. Various tourists stream in and out, take up too much room, talk too loudly while the few locals sit toward the edges of the bar, talking quietly if at all, watching, overseeing everything. A few are trying to lure various women away from their groups, some succeeding, and some failing. He notices her the moment he walks in, obviously a tourist but completely alone. She's dressed in a way that suggests she's just here for the drinks, that she's not looking for a warm body to spend the night with.

As one of the more drunk tourists stumbles and half falls into her she turns, giving Duke his first glimpse of her face. She's obviously younger than he is, perhaps three years younger at first glance but she appears to be the type of woman who knows how to make herself look older. Her makeup is deliberately scarce and perfectly applied, designed perhaps to hide her real age or simply allow her to blend in. She's no textbook beauty but she's definitely the most appealing woman Duke's seen all night and she's a welcome break from the over-dressed desperate female tourists that this bar usually attracts and she's alone. He doesn't have to try to get her away from a group of equally drunk women or compete with someone else for her attention. She also somehow manages to look like a challenge and an easy option at the same time.

There's an empty seat next to her at the bar and she's just ordering a drink as he slips into the seat. He has his money out before she can pay, ordering himself a drink at the same time. She smiles slightly, the corners of her mouth lifting upwards, as her drink arrives and offers a name in reward. "Gemma." she states simply. It's not her real name, he knows that but she says it with so much familiarity and confidence that it may as well be and tonight he's willing to pretend.

"Duke." he says after a moment's hesitation, after all it's not if he'll ever see her again after tonight and she's not likely to remember every detail tomorrow morning.

She smiles properly this time and when he asks about her life she gladly replies. She's on holiday, just passing through Haven on her way to somewhere else, only in town for one night, leaving tomorrow. She smirks playfully at him as she reveals this almost casually as she knock back the remains of what must be her fifth drink now.

She may not have entered the bar with the intention of finding someone to spend the night with but it was obvious that now she was leaving with Duke. He smirks back at her, "How about we continue this back at mine?" he offers, wincing slightly at the cheesy line but she doesn't seem to care as she nods and then slides almost gracefully, despite the alcohol, off her stool.

"Sure." she replies with a drunken giggle and another proper smile, her eyes dancing as she smiles. He stands, wraps an arm almost protectively around her waist and guides her towards the door, out into the dark, cool night. They walk down the streets to the harbour in content silence; they both know there's nothing more to be said.

She's slightly too drunk to know properly where she's going and he's just drunk enough not to care. She stumbles just once as they walk, offers him another giggle in thanks as he catches her.

They're back at his boat almost too quickly. Her eyes' wide in drunken wonder as she surveys the boat. She laughs, not giggles, her natural laugh not some alcohol induced giggle. It's almost sweet and suddenly she appears younger than before.

"I should have known you wouldn't have a normal house." she states as if she suddenly knows everything about him. As she once again falls into silence she once again looks the age Duke first put her at, no younger. She only briefly looked so much younger but it's enough to confuse Duke. He wonders what her real age is, not the age her laugh or appearance puts her at and begins to wonder if this is a good idea. But then she's pulling him closer to her, stretches up and kisses him. She tastes sweet but bitter from the alcohol. Her plump lips parting under his as he instinctively deepens the kiss. He now knows why this is a good idea. He pulls away, noticing the hurt beginning to build in her eyes but then helps her onto the boat. She laughs as it rocks and allows him to pull him towards his bedroom.

He wakes up the next morning, his throat dry and his head sore. His vision blurs but he knows he's alone. The side of the bed she slept on cold and neat. There's no sign that she was ever in his room except for the lingering smell of her perfume that seems to have seeped into every corner of the room. He knows he wanted no strings attached as he always has but he can't help but wish he at least got her real name or even a goodbye.


End file.
